An important lesson, when striking out on your own as a freelancer (in the non-baseball sense of the phrase), is to walk before you can run.

That, in a nutshell, means stick to the basics, lay the ground rules, and be absolutely meticulous in your planning.

If you lay the groundwork out in the beginning, and create the frame work within which you will begin to operate once you open for business, you will save yourself a lot of frustration in the long run.

Many freelancers simply begin taking in work (or more accurately, looking for work) without even having written a simple business plan.

I say, take it one step further and actually meet with a business plan consultant and really get your money’s worth. Set out your short, medium and long term aims, and then fill in the blanks on how you plan to get there.

This will make it a lot easier to find the necessary start-up capital if you haven’t already saved it, and will also keep you on track, instead of surprising you at the end of your first month, when you suddenly realise you’re nowhere near your intended target.

Think ahead, be smart, and enjoy yourself, it’s all part of the grand designer plan.

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